U.S. patent application number 17/131392 was filed with the patent office on 2022-06-23 for system for selecting electric vehicle charging power.
This patent application is currently assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. Invention is credited to Justin Carmen CAMPANARO, William HARTNAGEL, Ryan HUNT, Ahthavan Raja SURESHKUMAR, Robert TALBERT.
Application Number | 20220194255 17/131392 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220194255 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HARTNAGEL; William ; et
al. |
June 23, 2022 |
SYSTEM FOR SELECTING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POWER
Abstract
A vehicle includes a traction battery, a human-machine interface
(HMI), and a controller. The controller responsive to detecting
electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) utilizing multiple price
tiers corresponding to multiple maximum charge powers, outputs a
message indicating a charge price corresponding to the maximum
charge power for each of the price tiers via the HMI. The
controller also, responsive to receiving user input indicating an
adjusted maximum charge power less that a default maximum charge
power of the vehicle, sends the adjusted maximum charge power to
the EVSE and permits charging from the EVSE at or below the
adjusted maximum charge power.
Inventors: |
HARTNAGEL; William;
(Northville, MI) ; SURESHKUMAR; Ahthavan Raja;
(LaSalle, CA) ; CAMPANARO; Justin Carmen;
(Ferndale, MI) ; TALBERT; Robert; (Plymouth,
MI) ; HUNT; Ryan; (Royal Oak, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Appl. No.: |
17/131392 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2020 |
International
Class: |
B60L 53/66 20060101
B60L053/66; G06Q 50/06 20060101 G06Q050/06; B60L 53/64 20060101
B60L053/64 |
Claims
1. A vehicle, comprising: a traction battery; a human-machine
interface (HMI); and a controller programmed to responsive to
detecting electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) utilizing
multiple price tiers corresponding to multiple maximum charge
powers, output a message indicating a charge price corresponding to
the maximum charge power for each of the price tiers via the HMI,
and responsive to receiving user input indicating an adjusted
maximum charge power less that a default maximum charge power of
the vehicle, send the adjusted maximum charge power to the EVSE and
permit charging from the EVSE at or below the adjusted maximum
charge power.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further
programmed to, responsive detecting a vehicle charge preference
matching one of the multiple price tiers of the EVSE, automatically
select a previously set maximum charge power and send the
previously set maximum charge power to the EVSE.
3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the vehicle charge preference
matches one of the price tiers when a charge price difference
between the charge preference and price for each tier is within a
price threshold.
4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further
programmed to record the adjusted maximum charge power.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further
programmed to, responsive to detecting the EVSE utilizing a
universal price structure, automatically select the default maximum
charge power and send the default maximum charge power to the
EVSE.
6. A method comprising: in a presence of electric vehicle supply
equipment (EVSE) utilizing multiple price tiers corresponding to
multiple maximum charge powers, outputting a message indicating a
charge price corresponding to the maximum charge power for each of
the price tiers; receiving input indicating an adjusted maximum
charge power less than a default maximum charge power; and
permitting charging from the EVSE at or below the adjusted maximum
charge power.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising automatically selecting
a previously set maximum charge power and sending the previously
set maximum charge power to the EVSE responsive to detecting a
vehicle charge preference matching one of the multiple price tiers
of the EVSE.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle charge preference
matches one of the price tiers when a charge price difference
between the charge preference and price for each tier is within a
price threshold.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending the adjusted
maximum charge power to the EVSE.
10. The method of claim 6 further comprising recording the adjusted
maximum charge power.
11. The method of claim 6 further comprising automatically
selecting the default maximum charge power and sending the default
maximum charge power to the EVSE responsive to detecting the EVSE
utilizing a universal price structure.
12. A charge system comprising: a controller to control charging
from a charge station based on an adjusted maximum charge power
less than a default maximum selected from a plurality of maximum
charge powers available from the charge station.
13. The charge system of claim 12, wherein the controller further
outputs a message that the charge station is utilizing a plurality
of price tiers corresponding to the plurality of maximum charge
powers and indicating a charge price corresponding to the maximum
charge power for each of the price tiers, and receives user input
indicating the adjusted maximum charge power.
14. The charge system of claim 13, wherein the controller is
further programmed to automatically select a previously set maximum
charge power and send the previously set maximum charge power to
the charge station responsive to detecting a vehicle charge
preference matching one of the multiple price tiers of the charge
station.
15. The charge station of claim 14, wherein the vehicle charge
preference matches one of the price tiers when a charge price
difference between the charge preference and price for each tier is
within a price threshold.
16. The charge station of claim 13, wherein the controller is
further programmed to send the adjusted maximum charge power to the
charge station.
17. The charge station of claim 13, wherein the controller is
further programmed to record the adjusted maximum charge power.
18. The charge station of claim 13, wherein the controller is
further programmed to automatically select the default maximum
charge power and send the default maximum charge power to the
charge station responsive to detecting the charge utilizing a
universal price structure.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging system for an
electric vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Electric vehicles (EVs) may be charged at a charging
station. Some charging stations charge at different prices per unit
(rates) based on the maximum power of the vehicle charging. An EV
having a higher maximum charging power may be charged a higher
price per unit than another EV having a lower maximum charging
power although the total amount of charge transferred to the two
EVs are essentially the same.
SUMMARY
[0003] A vehicle includes a traction battery, a human-machine
interface (HMI), and a controller. The controller, responsive to
detecting electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) utilizing
multiple price tiers corresponding to multiple maximum charge
powers, outputs a message indicating a charge price corresponding
to the maximum charge power for each of the price tiers via the
HMI. The controller further, responsive to receiving user input
indicating an adjusted maximum charge power less that a default
maximum charge power of the vehicle, sends the adjusted maximum
charge power to the EVSE and permits charging from the EVSE at or
below the adjusted maximum charge power.
[0004] A method includes, in a presence of electric vehicle supply
equipment (EVSE) utilizing multiple price tiers corresponding to
multiple maximum charge powers, outputting a message indicating a
charge price corresponding to the maximum charge power for each of
the price tiers, receiving input indicating an adjusted maximum
charge power less than a default maximum charge power, and
permitting charging from the EVSE at or below the adjusted maximum
charge power.
[0005] A charge system includes a controller to control charging
from a charge station based on an adjusted maximum charge power
less than a default maximum selected from a plurality of maximum
charge powers available from the charge station.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an electrified vehicle illustrating
drivetrain and energy storage components including an electric
machine.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a block topology of a vehicle charging system.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram for a vehicle charging process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein.
It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are
merely examples and other embodiments can take various and
alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some
features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of
particular components. Therefore, specific structural and
functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as
limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one
skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As
those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various
features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the
figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more
other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly
illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated
provide representative embodiments for typical applications.
Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent
with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired
for particular applications or implementations.
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts an electrified vehicle 112 that may be
referred to as a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV), a battery
electric vehicle (BEV), and/or full hybrid electric vehicle (FHEV).
A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle 112 may comprise one or more
electric machines 114 mechanically coupled to a hybrid transmission
116. The electric machines 1 14 may be capable of operating as a
motor or a generator. In addition, the hybrid transmission 116 is
mechanically coupled to an engine 118. The hybrid transmission 116
is also mechanically coupled to a drive shaft 120 that is
mechanically coupled to the wheels 122. The electric machines 114
can provide propulsion and braking capability when the engine 118
is turned on or off. The electric machines 114 may also act as
generators and can provide fuel economy benefits by recovering
energy that would normally be lost as heat in a friction braking
system. The electric machines 114 may also reduce vehicle emissions
by allowing the engine 118 to operate at more efficient speeds and
allowing the hybrid-electric vehicle 112 to be operated in electric
mode with the engine 118 off under certain conditions. The
electrified vehicle 112 may also be a BEV. In a BEV configuration,
the engine 118 may not be present.
[0011] A traction battery or battery pack 124 stores energy that
can be used by the electric machines 114. The vehicle battery pack
124 may provide a high voltage direct current (DC) output. The
traction battery 124 may be electrically coupled to one or more
power electronics modules 126 (such as a traction inverter). The
power electronics module 126 is also electrically coupled to the
electric machines 114 and provides the ability to bi-directionally
transfer energy between the traction battery 124 and the electric
machines 114. For example, a traction battery 124 may provide a DC
voltage while the electric machines 114 may operate with a
three-phase alternating current (AC) to function. The power
electronics module 126 may convert the DC voltage to a three-phase
AC current to operate the electric machines 114. In a regenerative
mode, the power electronics module 126 may convert the three-phase
AC current from the electric machines 114 acting as generators to
the DC voltage compatible with the traction battery 124.
[0012] The vehicle 112 may include a variable-voltage converter
(VVC) (not shown) electrically coupled between the traction battery
124 and the power electronics module 126. The VVC may be a DC/DC
boost converter configured to increase or boost the voltage
provided by the traction battery 124. By increasing the voltage,
current requirements may be decreased leading to a reduction in
wiring size for the power electronics module 126 and the electric
machines 114. Further, the electric machines 114 may be operated
with better efficiency and lower losses.
[0013] In addition to providing energy for propulsion, the traction
battery 124 may provide energy for other vehicle electrical
systems. The vehicle 112 may include a DC/DC converter module 128
that converts the high voltage DC output of the traction battery
124 to a low voltage DC supply that is compatible with low-voltage
vehicle loads 129. An output of the DC/DC converter module 128 may
be electrically coupled to an auxiliary battery 130 (e.g., 12V
battery) for charging the auxiliary battery 130. The low-voltage
systems may be electrically coupled to the auxiliary battery
130.
[0014] The electrified vehicle 112 may be configured to recharge
the traction battery 124 from an external power source 136. The
external power source 136 may be a connection to an electrical
outlet. The external power source 136 may be electrically coupled
to a charger or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) 138. The
external power source 136 may be an electrical power distribution
network or grid as provided by an electric utility company. The
EVSE 138 may provide circuitry and controls to regulate and manage
the transfer of energy between the power source 136 and the vehicle
112. The external power source 136 may provide DC or AC electric
power to the EVSE 138. The EVSE 138 may have a charge connector 140
for plugging into a charge port 142 of the vehicle 112. The charge
port 142 may be any type of port configured to transfer power from
the EVSE 138 to the vehicle 112. The charge port 142 may be
electrically coupled to a charger or on-board power conversion
module 144. The power conversion module 144 may condition the power
supplied from the EVSE 138 to provide the proper voltage and
current levels to the traction battery 124. The power conversion
module 144 may interface with the EVSE 138 to coordinate the
delivery of power to the vehicle 112. The EVSE connector 140 may
have pins that mate with corresponding recesses of the charge port
142. Alternatively, various components described as being
electrically coupled or connected may transfer power using a
wireless inductive coupling. Additionally, the charge port 142 may
be configured to output DC electric power from the traction battery
124 through the power conversion module 144. One or more contactors
146 may isolate the traction battery 124 from other components when
opened and connect the traction battery 124 to other components
when closed.
[0015] Electronic modules/controllers in the vehicle 112 may
communicate via one or more vehicle networks (to be described in
detail below). The vehicle network may include a plurality of
channels for communication. Channels of the vehicle network may
include discrete connections between modules and may include power
signals from the auxiliary battery 130. Different signals may be
transferred over different channels of the vehicle network. For
example, video signals may be transferred over a high-speed channel
while control signals may be transferred over a low speed channel.
The vehicle network may include any hardware and software
components that aid in transferring signals and data between
modules. A computing platform 148 may be present to perform and
coordinate various operations of the vehicle 112.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block topology 200 of the vehicle charging
system. A computing platform 148 of the vehicle 112 may include one
or more processors 204 configured to perform instructions,
commands, and other routines in support of the processes described
herein. For instance, the computing platform 148 may be configured
to execute instructions of vehicle applications 206 to provide
features such as navigation, satellite radio decoding, and charging
control. Such instructions and other data may be maintained in a
non-volatile manner using a variety of types of computer-readable
storage medium 208. The computer-readable medium 208 (also referred
to as a processor-readable medium or storage) includes any
non-transitory medium (tangible medium) that participates in
providing instructions or other data that may be read by the
processor 204 of the computing platform 148. Computer-executable
instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs
created using a variety of programming languages and/or
technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in
combination, Java, C, C++, C#, Objective C, Fortran, Pascal, Java
Script, Python, Perl, and PL/SQL.
[0017] The computing platform 148 may be provided with various
features allowing the vehicle occupants/users to interface with the
computing platform 148. For example, the computing platform 104 may
receive input from human-machine interface (HMI) controls 210
configured to provide for occupant interaction with the vehicle
112. As an example, the computing platform 148 may interface with
one or more buttons (not shown) or other HMI controls (e.g.,
steering wheel audio buttons, a push-to-talk button, instrument
panel controls, etc.) configured to invoke functions on the
computing platform 148 as well as other components of the vehicle
112.
[0018] The computing platform 148 may also drive or otherwise
communicate with one or more displays 212 configured to provide
visual output to vehicle occupants by way of a video controller
214. In some cases, the display 212 may be a touch screen further
configured to receive user touch input via the video controller
214, while in other cases the display 212 may be a display only,
without touch input capabilities. The computing platform 104 may
also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more speakers 218
configured to provide audio output to vehicle occupants by way of
an audio controller 220.
[0019] The computing platform 148 may be configured to communicate
with a mobile device 222 of the vehicle user via a wireless
connection 224. The mobile device 222 may be any of various types
of portable computing device, such as cellular phones, tablet
computers, smart watches, laptop computers, portable music players,
key fobs, or other devices capable of communication with the
computing platform 148. In many examples, the computing platform
148 may include a wireless transceiver 26 in communication with a
Wi-Fi controller 228, a near-field controller (NFC) 229, a
Bluetooth controller 230, and other controllers such as a Zigbee
transceiver, an IrDA transceiver, an RFID transceiver (not shown),
and configured to communicate with a compatible wireless
transceiver 232 of the mobile device 222. The computing platform
148 may be further provided with location services via a global
navigation satellite system (GNSS) controller 234 configured to
determine the location of the vehicle 112 and plan navigation
routes. For instance, the GNSS controller 234 may be configured to
support the global positioning system (GPS) as an example. The
navigation software may be stored in the non-volatile storage 208
as a part of the vehicle applications 206. The map data used for
route planning may be also stored in the non-volatile storage 208
as a part of vehicle data 236.
[0020] The mobile device 222 may be provided with a processor 238
configured to perform instructions, commands, and other routines in
support of the processes such as calling, wireless communication,
multi-media processing and digital authentication. The wireless
transceiver 232 of the mobile device 222 may be in communication
with a Wi-Fi controller 240, a Bluetooth controller 242, an NFC
controller 244, and other controllers configured to communicate
with the compatible wireless transceiver 226 of the computing
platform 148. The mobile device 222 may be provided with a
non-volatile storage 246 configured to store various software and
data. For instance, the non-volatile storage 246 may store mobile
applications 248 and mobile data 250 to enable various features of
the mobile device 222.
[0021] The computing platform 148 may be further configured to
communicate with a charging controller 252 via one or more
in-vehicle networks 254. The in-vehicle network 254 may include,
but is not limited to, one or more of a controller area network
(CAN), an Ethernet network, an ultra-wide band (UWB), and a
media-oriented system transport (MOST), as some examples.
[0022] The charging controller 252 of the vehicle 112 may be
configured to control the charging of the vehicle battery 124. The
charging controller 252 may be configured to communicate with the
EVSE 138 (charging station) to coordinate the vehicle charging via
a charging cable 256 in support of data communications.
Alternatively, the charging controller 252 may be configured to
communicate with the EVSE 138 via a wireless connection (not
shown). Additionally or alternatively, the system may be configured
to communicate the vehicle information to the EVSE 138 using the
mobile device 222 through a wireless connection 258 with or without
the involvement of the vehicle charging controller 252. The vehicle
112 and the mobile device 222 may be further configured to
communicate with a remote server 259 via the respective wireless
transceiver to obtain various information.
[0023] The EVSE 138 may include one or more processors 260
configured to perform instructions, commands, and other routines in
support of the processes described herein. As an example, the EVSE
138 may be configured to execute instructions of station software
262 stored in a storage 264 to provide functions such as
activating/deactivating charging, price selection, processing
payment, and wireless communication with various digital entities.
The EVSE 138 may be provided with HMI controls 266 configured to
provide interaction with user.
[0024] The EVSE 138 may include a wireless transceiver 268 in
communication with a NFC controller 270, a radio-frequency
identification (RFID) controller 272, a Bluetooth controller 274 a
Wi-Fi controller 276, and other controllers configured to
communicate with compatible wireless transceiver 226 of the vehicle
112, and/or compatible wireless transceiver 232 of the mobile
device 222.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 3, an example flow diagram for a vehicle
charging process 300 is illustrated. With continuing reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2, the process 300 may be implemented by the vehicle
112 to facilitate a price tier selection to balance the charging
cost and charging power/time. For instance, the EVSE 138 may be
configured to support multiple price tiers for different vehicle
maximum charging power. In general, a higher maximum charging power
may incur a higher charging price per unit, and a lower maximum
charging power may incur a lower charging price per unit. The EVSE
138 may be configured to obtain the maximum charging power from the
vehicle 112 via the charging controller 252 and/or the computing
platform 148 and determine the charging price for the vehicle using
the maximum power received. Alternatively, the EVSE 138 may be
configured to obtain the maximum power information from the mobile
device 222 of the vehicle user without directly communicating with
the vehicle 112. In reality, the vehicle 112 may charge the battery
124 at a lower charging power to preserve the lifespan of the
battery 124. However, the vehicle 112 may still be classified as a
higher price tier and pay a price premium due to the high maximum
power reported to the EVSE 138. The process 300 allows the user of
the vehicle 112 to adjust the maximum charging power to make the
present charge eligible for a lower price tier. The process 300 may
be implemented via the computing platform 148 individually or in
combination with other components of the system (e.g., the charging
controller 252 and/or the mobile device 222). Alternatively, the
process 300 may be implemented via the charging controller 252
and/or the mobile device individually or in combination thereof.
For simplicity purposes, the following description will be made
with reference to the computing platform 148 as an example.
[0026] At operation 302 responsive to detecting the vehicle has
arrived at the EVSE 138 to charge the battery 124, the computing
platform 148 obtains price information for the EVSE 138. There may
be various ways that the computing platform 148 may obtain the
price information. For instance, the computing platform 148 may use
a current vehicle location from the GNSS controller 234 to identify
the EVSE 138, and obtain the price information of the EVSE 138 from
the remote server 259. Alternatively, the computing platform 148
may obtain the price information directly from the EVSE 138 via the
charging cable 256 and/or a wireless connection. At operation 304,
the computing platform 148 determines if the present EVSE 138
utilized different price tiers corresponding to different maximum
charging power. Depending on the local regulation and policies of
the utility companies, some EVSEs may be configured to support the
multiple price tiers fee structure, whereas others may utilize a
universal price structure without differentiating the price tiers.
If the current EVSE 138 does not support the multiple price tiers
structure, the process proceeds to operation 306 and the computing
platform 148 uses the default maximum power to report to the EVSE
138. The default maximum power may be a preset maximum charging
power that the hardware of the vehicle 112 is capable to
support.
[0027] If the computing platform determines the EVSE 138 supports
multiple price tier structure, the process proceeds to operation
308 to further determine if the price tiers of the current EVSE 138
are different from those of a vehicle preference previously set.
Although multiple EVSEs may utilize the same price tier structure,
the specific price for different maximum charging power may vary by
jurisdiction (e.g., states, provinces, cities) and utility
provider. The computing platform 148 may store a charging
preference as a part of vehicle data 236 in the non-volatile
storage 208. The charging preference 236 may include one or more
adjusted max charging power set by the user corresponding to one or
more price tiers that the vehicle 112 previously encountered. If
the price tiers for the current EVSE 138 are the same as one of the
multiple price tiers stored in the storage 208 as a part of the
charging preference 236, the process proceeds to operation 310 and
the computing platform 148 may directly select the previously
adjusted maximum power corresponding to the price tiers of the
current EVSE 138. Additionally or alternatively, the two price
tiers may not match exactly. The computing platform 148 may
determine the current price tiers as being the same as one of the
multiple price tiers of the charging preference 236 as long as the
price difference is within a threshold (e.g., .+-.$0.2 per unit).
Otherwise, if the price tiers of the current EVSE 138 are new to
the vehicle 112, the process proceeds to operation 312 and the
computing platform 148 outputs a message to the vehicle user to
report the multiple price tiers and ask for user input selection
via the HMI controls 210. The message may include the price per
unit of electricity corresponding to the maximum charging power for
each tier. The message may further include a total amount of price
to pay and an estimated time to finish the charging. Table 1 below
illustrates an example of the message that the computing platform
148 may present to the user.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Price tier table presented to the user for a
total amount of 50 kWh charge. Max Power Price Average Total Est
time Tier (kW) ($/min) Power (kW) price ($) (min) 1 50 0.21 50 12.6
60 2 125 0.58 72 23.2 42 3 350 0.89 75 35.6 40
[0028] In the present example, three price tiers are utilized by
the EVSE 138. Tier 1 corresponds to a price per minute for a 50 kW
maximum charging power; Tier 2 corresponds to a price per minute
for a 125 kW maximum charging power; and Tier 3 corresponds to a
price per minute for a 350 kW maximum charging power. In reality,
the actual and average charging power may be limited significantly
below the maximum charging power due to various reasons. For
instance, the user may manually limit the actual charging power to
a 75 kW maximum to reduce battery cell deterioration that is
usually caused by the heat generated by fast charging.
Alternatively, even no manual limitation is input by the user, the
EVSE 138 may start with a high charging power near the maximum
power at the beginning of the process and gradually reduce the
charging power to a lower steady level as the SOC of the battery
124 increases. As illustrated in Table 1, the average charging
power of Tier 2 and Tier 3 are 72 kW and 75 kW--significantly lower
than the maximum charging power assigned to the tiers. It should be
noted that the numbers in Table 1 merely illustrate an example, and
different figures and configurations may be used under
substantially the same principle. It should be further noted that
although the price per unit in the present example is illustrated
using price per minute, other units may be used instead. For
instance, each tier may correspond to a price per kW configuration
in other examples.
[0029] If the display 212 is provided with touch screen capability,
the user may select one of the price tiers simply by touching the
touch screen 212. Otherwise, the user may use other input devices
to indicate his/her intent of selection. Additionally, the
computing platform 148 may be configured to allow a user to
manually input a desired charging power and automatically select
the corresponding price tier based on the user input. For instance,
in response to a user input of 100 kW desired charging power, the
computing platform 148 may automatically select Tier 2 for the
vehicle 112. The user may prefer a lower desired charging power to
preserve the battery life (i.e., lower charge power may cause less
battery degradation). Alternatively, the computing platform 148 may
be further configured to allow the user to manually input a desired
charging time based on which desired charging power may be
automatically determined. Responsive to receiving the user
selection at operation 314, the computing platform 148 may record
the selected price tier and/or desired charging power as the
charging preference 236 for future reference. Alternatively, if the
computing platform 148 determines the user specified time is within
a tolerance (e.g., 10 min) of a time from charging at a lower power
that would yield a cost savings higher than a tolerance (e.g., $5),
the computing platform 148 may further provide the lower charging
power to the user as an option and let the user make a choice
between the user specified charging power or the lower charging
power.
[0030] At operation 316, the computing platform 148 sends the price
tier as selected or determined to the EVSE 138. At operation 318,
the computing platform 148 monitors the vehicle charging at a power
no greater than the maximum charging power corresponding to the
price tier as selected.
[0031] The processes, methods, or algorithms disclosed herein can
be deliverable to/implemented by a processing device, controller,
or computer, which can include any existing programmable electronic
control unit or dedicated electronic control unit. Similarly, the
processes, methods, or algorithms can be stored as data and
instructions executable by a controller or computer in many forms
including, but not limited to, information permanently stored on
non-writable storage media such as Read Only Memory (ROM) devices
and information alterably stored on writeable storage media such as
floppy disks, magnetic tapes, Compact Discs (CDs), Random Access
Memory (RAM) devices, and other magnetic and optical media. The
processes, methods, or algorithms can also be implemented in a
software executable object. Alternatively, the processes, methods,
or algorithms can be embodied in whole or in part using suitable
hardware components, such as Application Specific Integrated
Circuits (ASICs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), state
machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, or a
combination of hardware, software and firmware components.
[0032] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms
encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are
words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood
that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the disclosure.
[0033] As previously described, the features of various embodiments
can be combined to form further embodiments that may not be
explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments
could have been described as providing advantages or being
preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with
respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary
skill in the art recognize that one or more features or
characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall
system attributes, which depend on the specific application and
implementation. These attributes may include, but are not limited
to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability,
appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight,
manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments
described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art
implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not
outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for
particular applications.
* * * * *